Last Update: January 24, 2023, 20:29 IST
Australia beat Spain 4-3 in the quarter-finals of the FIH World Cup 2023 (FIH)
Jeremy Hayward scored twice, while Flynn Ogilvie and Aaron Jalewski scored once each to give Australia a win over Spain.
Goalkeeper Andrew Carter saved a penalty stroke from Mark Miralles five minutes before the final hooter as Australia came back from a two-goal deficit to dominate a struggling Spain in the first quarterfinal of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s. World Cup 2023 on Tuesday.
Australia were leading 4–3 on five minutes when Spain earned a penalty stroke for a stick-check foul inside the shooting circle. But the experienced Carter correctly guessed the direction of Miralles’ push and put it away. Had Spain scored that goal, it would have taken the match to a shoot-out. Instead, Australia survived with time remaining and sealed their place in the semi-finals where they await the winner of the fourth quarter-final between England and Germany.
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Jeremy Hayward (32nd minute and 36th minute) scored two goals for Australia, while Flynn Ogilvie (29th minute) and Eran Jalewski (31st minute) contributed to Australia’s score. Javier Gispert (19th minute) and Marc Rekassens had given Spain a 2–0 lead, but the world number 1 not only fought back to equalize, Hayward squandered two penalty corners in the space of five minutes, Australia 4–0 Got ahead of 2. lead.
Marc Miralles scored a penalty corner in the 40th minute to reduce the margin but when it came to a crucial moment, Carter failed him as the world No. 1 and three-time champion signaled a sigh of relief. Australia had won the title in 1986, 2010 and 2014 and won the bronze medal in Bhubaneswar four years ago. Now they have set themselves up for another title, but they will need to strengthen their defense if they are to claim their fourth title and join Pakistan as the most successful country in the men’s World Cup.
Australia have reached the semi-finals every time since 1975, but came close to losing that record as Spain gave them a big scare, capitalizing on counter-attacks and leaving the usually stoic Kookaburras defense gasping as they collapsed in the second quarter Had made a 2- lead by scoring two goals. 0.
Gisperi gave Spain, who got the better of Malaysia in sudden death through the crossover phase, the lead after a goalless first period at the start of the second quarter, in which Australia earned three penalty corners but failed to score. Stayed. Australia had a chance to level things three minutes later from their fourth PC but were again thwarted. A minute later, Rekasens made it 2–0 for Spain when he scored a fine field goal.
Australia reduced the margin just before half-time when Ogilvie deflected a superb pass from outside the shooting circle on the right flank. Australia continued to attack in the third quarter and within a minute of the restart the score was 2–2 when Zalewski scored another fine attack.
Hayward then converted his fifth and sixth penalty corners. With a brilliant drag flick, Australia took a 4-2 lead.
Spain went on the offensive in search of goal and earned three penalty corners but Australia’s defense held strong. Miralles, however, converted the fourth penalty corner of the third quarter to make it 4–3 in Australia’s favor in the 40th minute.
Spain attacked in numbers in the final quarter and Lachlan Sharp was green carded for launching a series of attacks, one of which cost him a penalty stroke when Gisperi was stick-checked in front of goal and gave Spain a penalty stroke Went. ,
But Carter ensured Spain did not script another fairy tale victory and secured a last-four berth for Australia.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)